duganderson - Posted - 04/04/2025:  07:41:35

I love Abbie Gardner's albums, especially her solo dobro / vocal songs. What suggestions do you have for other artists or bands that play self-accompanied dobro or lap steel and vocal music (at least on some of their songs). I'd love ideas for other bands or albums with a singer and just a dobro or mostly only a dobro.

I'm trying to develop my skills playing and singing solo on my dobro and I love the ideas I get from her songs.

Thank you! Doug

Bob Blair - Posted - 04/04/2025:  10:22:16

Sue Decker from Victoria, British Columbia! suedecker.com!

wlgiii - Posted - 04/04/2025:  12:59:52

I play solo self/accompanied and have found:

-I prefer the sound of a tricone over a dobro for solo; it sounds a bit more full. But that may be more of a personal choice.
-I mainly play tuned to E (suits my vocal range better than D). I like how the lower 1-5-1 strings fill things out. Sometimes low bass A is used, also for the low strings.
- Sitting seems to work better for playing solo; I feel like I should have a band with me when standing (plus, tough to stand with a tricone)
- No embellishments (harmonizer, looper, etc.)- you can get a lot of sound out of a resonator
- Go for it! I'm pretty sure tips are doubled play playing a resonator, thanks to its "wow" factor.

JC Dobro - Posted - 04/04/2025:  16:39:48

Check out Kelly Joe Phelps' first album, Lead Me On. Most (if not all) is just Kelly and a tricone square neck, recorded live. He favored Open D tuning, although i think he may have used G a bit on this album. He got a very full sound with a minimalist approach.

BrianMac - Posted - 04/05/2025:  07:29:15

@duganderson



I’ve put together a solo show using square neck dobro and lap steel.



It’s been a few years in the making but I’m just now putting myself out there and doing some gigs.



I do utilize backing tracks and a vocal harmonizer, keeping both to a minimal level of support only. There are many parts and pieces to go wrong using the pedal board, but like anything else practice makes (nearly) perfect. My show is comprised of old country, some folk, some bluegrass and a few that I just like to play. The bulk of my backing tracks is done on Strum Machine (which I highly recommend).



I figured out years ago that regarding playing music, one must enjoy the ride. I love the challenge of it all, and would encourage you to go for it!



I realize this response isn’t exactly what you asked for but thought I’d respond anyway as this falls at a point in time that I’m starting to gig out with my solo Dobro Brian show.

Edited by - BrianMac on 04/05/2025 07:30:28

duganderson - Posted - 04/05/2025:  10:18:56

Thanks for the great response everyone.


@BrianMac I'd love to hear some of your stuff. What city do you play in?

BrianMac - Posted - 04/05/2025:  19:29:22

@duganderson

Ha! Playing tonight in a few minutes at the Lower Tavern in Eastsound, Orcas Island WA.

Probably NOT coming to a city near you! Lol

I am going to post some clips on YouTube, if I can without copyright problems.

duganderson - Posted - 04/06/2025:  16:31:04

quote:

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Originally posted by JC Dobro

Check out Kelly Joe Phelps' first album, Lead Me On. Most (if not all) is just Kelly and a tricone square neck, recorded live.

---

Love this album!  Some of the songs sound like Dobro played spanish style.

Curious if folks have a reference for which songs on this album or others of his albums are played lap steel VS spanish slide?

JC Dobro - Posted - 04/06/2025:  18:34:19

quote:

---

Originally posted by duganderson

quote:

---

Originally posted by JC Dobro

Check out Kelly Joe Phelps' first album, Lead Me On. Most (if not all) is just Kelly and a tricone square neck, recorded live.

---

Love this album!  Some of the songs sound like Dobro played spanish style.

Curious if folks have a reference for which songs on this album or others of his albums are played lap steel VS spanish slide?

---

Fairly certain his debut album (Lead Me On) was all lap style.  This was at the height of his lap slide prowess, and it's the style that put him on the map.  In subsequent albums he started introducing Spanish style and bottleneck, and eventually ditched lap slide.

In Open D, his alternating thumb style, simultaneously picking high melodies, was impressive to say the least.  Much of what "fills" out his sound was due to this technique.

Here's an example of KJP in action with this technique (albeit on a Gibson Folk Jumbo set up lap style...)

youtu.be/3z4Z8C4fEQI?si=QlfIPuYvrtZQM5ST

I used to se him perform live quite a bit in CA and OR, and he is sorely missed.

Bob Blair - Posted - 04/06/2025:  18:44:36

Hi I note that I made a mistake with Sue DEcker's URL in my post above.

suedecker.com

Bob Blair - Posted - 04/06/2025:  19:05:49

suedecker.com

Lounge Primate - Posted - 04/06/2025:  21:49:15

Although he’s playing an acoustic guitar lap style, not a dobro, you might check out Harry Manx. He performs beautifully playing slide and singing solo.

youtu.be/AfyDX4B4rfA?feature=shared

youtu.be/ht0JBvOtn0s

Edited by - Lounge Primate on 04/06/2025 21:57:12

duganderson - Posted - 04/07/2025:  16:14:50

These are great options folks!!! Thank you!

Kanotex - Posted - 04/08/2025:  07:53:04

On the old-timey side, Frank Hutchison. Not fancy, but soulful.
youtube.com/watch?v=e-7q9iybkVw
youtube.com/watch?v=VK6LT9dWl1s

wlgiii - Posted - 04/08/2025:  08:43:41

Try the Black Ace for soulful:

youtube.com/watch?v=YW7zxl3sdJc